's

, my name was already moving

openly stared. A girl in the bathroom asked if I was "the one who ta

he was afraid someone might push me. Chloe kept

u," Chloe said as we walked back toward t

t feeling in my chest. "I

egret and consequences

. Another message fro

feelin

ger from earlier was still there, but undern

kept replaying the way she looked at me when I challenged her. Like

t straight to the shower. Tess

u o

n't k

how Ava had treated that boy. Another part of me f

eded

or a walk,"

stop me, but she only nodded.

. Most students were heading to dinner or back to their rooms. I

ts, the

quieter here and empty. The brick walls were faded, and the side entrance look

so

eaker. The melody was slow and familiar in a way that made th

a short, choked breath, like s

llow

was sitting on the ground with her back against the

ghtly her knuckles had gone pale. Her phone lay beside her, screen s

as sh

ped wa

ike the person who had stared down an entire crowd without blinking.

hit her physically and for the first time , I saw her crying. She pressed both hands

n't t

er and stood i

said quie

re panicked, almost lost. Then she recognized

way fr

ving a pan

d get

ve. "Give m

She tried to stop me, but her hands were still trembling too hard. I turned the volume all

breathing stayed uneven, but the worst of the shakin

from her ears, though they

n't be here

re we

bitter laugh. "I do

ked like

he wrong t

, replaced by something sharp and cold. She pushed herself up so f

aw me for five seconds t

I think you're all

Don't you dare look at me like that. I don't need pity

sn't

hate me, remember? You made that very clear in front

away while she was still shaking felt wrong. The memo

"That doesn't mean I'm going t

cracked, then harden

know anythi

why a song doe

osed. The anger in her eyes flickered with something that looked almost lik

d like a warning this time. "Next time you see

look back a

gone, her phone still silent in my pocket, t

I was leaving with something much m

fallen apart in front of me. And the worst part is the part that scared m

. Part of me wanted to throw it into the nearest trash can. Anoth

my pocket and started w

e. Students passed me in small groups, laughing, talking about dinne

ampus had been shaking on the ground behind an ol

now what i

hat something

arrived at Westbridge, I wasn't